The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-24
HOEORS TO YYNDALL.
THE GREAT SCIENTIST GRANDLY
BAsQUBrED IN LONDON.
His Speech Reviewing His Career
for the Past Thirty.
nine Years.

An bVuuon' VI Nno oNcuinR VI - uuc
18th, a Grand banquet was given TO
Prof. 1yndall, 70 signalize his retire
ment frsm the Chair OF Natural
Philosophy in the Royal Institution.
In response 10 a toast, the professor
said
"MR. PRBsDgNr-MY LORDS AND
GENTLEMEN; When the project OF a
dinner wac trst mentioned to me by
q very old and steadfast friendo OF
mine, Prof. Huxley, who, to my
regret and his, is not here tonight,
had any dream or vision Of the as
sembly now before mo risen on my
minds eve | should have declined
the risk 0! standing ia my present
position; for l should have doubted,
as l still continue to doubt, my abil-
ity TO rise to the level Of the occa.
sion. Gratitude, however, is posi-
bic 10 oil men; and ! would offer
you, sir, my grateful thanks for the
manner in which you have proposed
this toast; | would thank with equal
warmth nm assembly which, in in
telleotual measure, 10 probably no
distinguished a. any Of the same
sise ever addressed by man for the
way ia which they have received il I;
and l would extend my thanks to
ny friends Of the Department Of
Science ssd Art for their spontAne.
Gus tisdusss 70 an old colleague,
who Tor naDy years lent bis humble
aid 10 the department ia difiusing
sound scientific knowledge among
the masses Of the people. Ny own
scientific education began late. IL
had oil necessity TO be post
poned until sitor l had reached
the age OF twenty seven or
twenty. eight. Notwithstanding this
drawback, in learning, teaching
aud working in the laboratoryI have
been permitted 10 enjoy a spoil OF
thirty. nine years. In 1850, during a
flying visit from Germany to Eng.
land, | stood for the frst time 10 the
bright presence OF Paraday. In
February, 1853, gave my FIRST Fri
day evening lecture in tho Royal In.
stitution and three months AFTER
ward, on the motion OF Faraday,
the old Chair Of Natural Philosophy
which bad been filed at The begin
ming Of the century by Thomas
Young was restored, aud 10 Il l was
elected. IL causes me genuine pleas.
uro TO think that | shall be succeed.
cd 10 tina, chair by SO true aud so
eminent q man oil science as Lord
Raylcigh. Hear. hear. II is not
my intention 70 oyerburden you with
egotisn tonight; but, casting an ear.
nest glance back upon the past, a few
words seem due from me 10 the nom
DRY Of one or two Of the group Of
good men, no LONGER with us, with
whom was 50 intimately associated.
Regarding Fsraday, l will oon6no
myself to stating that years have not
altered my estimate OF tho beauty
and nobleness Of his character. lie
was the prince Of experimental phil.
ssophers; but he was moro than this
in every 6ber Of his mind no was
. gentleman. Hear, hear. Ii is,
however. Of two OF our honorary
secretaries tha, wish now 10 speak ,
promising that for the FIRST seven
years Of my lie in the Royal Institu.
son the post OF secretary was held
by . cultivated and very worthy gen.
tlemss, the Rev. John Barlow.
From lhtO 10 l573--thAt is, for q
stretch OF thirteen memorable years
Il bad tho happiness OF working
hand IN hand with DR.. Beuce Jones.
Never IN my experience have | met
. mas more entirely aud uuselfshly
devoted 10 the iurthcrance OF scien.
tiho work. | hardly like TO mention
the following incident, because IL
furnishes but q scaniy measure OF
his devotion. On Que occasion was
in need Of funds TO carry out some
experiments II delicate aud costly
character, Bence Jones came 10 me,
and after SOME hcsiiation--ior he
knew that money was likely 10 raise
difficulty between us-he said, with
earpestness; Dear Tyndall, behave
A. my friend do me the favor aud
the honor Of devoting this 10 your in.
vostigAtion. There IL more, II YOU
need Il. where that came FROM He
handed me q check Tor flOO. Had
/ asked hm Tor $1,000 he would have
givtn IL ~ me. and the world, 40 far
A. ho was soncerned, would have
been sone the wiser. Bence Jones
was . strong nan. aud liked 20 have
his own way. At irst, A. was natu.
raj we sometimes surscd against each
other. But these little oppositions
were rapidly adjusted, and Tor many
years before bis death the tic OF
brother 10 brother was not truer or
tendercr ,ban tha, whioh united my
self aud Benco Jones. Ga my re.
turn iron the United States | found
him dy ius. 10 fact, the knowledso
OF his condition caused me 70 take
leave earlier than | otherwise should
have done Of people that | had
learned 10 trust and love. Soon after
my return | saw him lowered into tho
grave.
The death oi Bence Jones, whose
sieadiast loyalty 60 the institution no
loved 90 we'll showed itself 10 the
last, was q sore calamity 10 be met.
At that time one man only seemed
fitted 10 supply his place. That man
vas The beloved and lameuted VIM.
SpottiswoOde. Hear, hear. To
him ] appealed 10 stand by the insti
tuition Al = critical hour OF its Tor.
tunes. lie had his own mathemati.
eal work on baud, aud he was too
vol acquainted with the duties Of
our honorary socrotAryship 10 accept
them lightly. After much rehcc.
ton, he wrotc letter 20 mo regret.
fully but distinctly declining the
office. But he reflected a second
time. lie knew that his refusal
would cause me pain, and his aif,c.
ton Tor me prevailed. When, there.
fore, the letter Of refusal-lor he
sent II 20 mo-came IL vas accom-
panied by a second letter cancolins
the refusal aud accepting tho post,
With WIN. SpottiHv code had tbe